Editorial: Farewell to the Modfather - a pop pioneer who helped create a vibrant music culture

Editorial

New Zealand pop pioneer Ray Columbus has been fondly remembered this week. The 74-year-old, who died on Tuesday, had a long and successful musical career as a performer, manager, muse and influencer.

He rode the crest of the 60s music wave, and with his band the Invaders ruled the airwaves in New Zealand and Australia.

Their biggest hit, She's a Mod, topped the charts on both sides of the Tasman, and its enduring appeal meant Columbus earned an affectionate nickname as 'The Modfather.'

With his black ties, crisp white shirts and sharply-creased trousers, Columbus - a terrific dancer from his schoolboy tapdancing days - was a perfect fit for the beat-era.

The band was good enough to tour with the Rolling Stones and Roy Orbison. On stage, the band in black satin, Columbus with a dash of red, the Invaders set the Downunder standard of the day and forced their Australian rivals to copy their style.

After the 60s, he was a constant presence on televised pop shows, before moving into managing acts and promoting the business of pop.

For half a century, Columbus was a creative force in the New Zealand music industry, which by any standards is phenomenal. He never lost his love of the stage, and his last appearances were post-quake fundraisers in his home city of Christchurch.

In a business with its share of casualties, Columbus' single vice was smoking, which reached an 80-a-day habit.

On the day he died, the Education Ministry announced that songwriting was to become part of the high school curriculum, a step which will entrench New Zealand's vibrant pop music culture. When the first graduates emerge, they will be entering an industry which Ray Columbus help shape and sustain.